Alex Jones: Infowars host delays Sandy Hook trial testimony as he defends rant at families

Oliver O'Connell,Graeme Massie and Megan Sheets
·24-min read

Alex Jones has delayed his return to the Sandy Hook trial witness box until next week following his rant at reporters outside a Connecticut courthouse.

His own defence attorneys waived their right to cross-examine him, and he is now expected to return as a witness next Wednesday after a judge decided against punishing him for the stunt.

During the press conference, Jones said that the jurors in the case should do their own research, something which is absolutely not permitted in the trial.

The defence move on Friday follows a heated outburst the day before, where Jones shouted that he was “done apologising” for his egregious claims about the shooting under questioning from the plaintiffs’ lawyer.

He lost his temper after being told he put a “target on the back” of victims’ families by calling them “crisis actors” in the 2012 elementary school shooting he branded a hoax in broadcasts to millions.

“Is this a struggle session, are we in China? I have already said sorry hundreds of times and I am done saying I am sorry,” Jones told the court.

On Friday morning, Jones’ attorney said they would not cross-examine him at this time in a bid to “lower the temperature” in the court.

Jones told reporters there was “no need” for cross-examination because, he claims, Thursday’s theatrics were more harmful to the plaintiffs’ than himself.

Key Points

Thursday 22 September 2022 16:18 , Oliver O'Connell

After a moment in which everyone speaks over each other, Jones keeps talking and Judge Bellis has to point out to him: “I sustained your attorney’s objection and you answered anyway. He won”

Jones tells the court he has “serious hearing damage” and cannot hear the questioning or objections. In the Texas trial, he had throat problems.

Thursday 22 September 2022 16:25 , Oliver O'Connell

There is further cross-talk and Mr Mattei asks Jones if his credibility is the most important thing with his audience.

He answers again that he can’t answer any of these questions because the court has barred him from doing so before answering that his most important thing with his audience is “crushing the globalists”.

Mr Mattei tries to continue his questioning, but an objection leads to the jury being sent out while the judge tries to settle again with the attorneys about boundaries to the lines of questioning they may pursue.

Thursday 22 September 2022 16:29 , Oliver O'Connell

Mr Pattis contends that if Mr Mattei is going to ask about globalists then he wants to ask about who the globalists are which would then turn the discussion toward politics.

He says Mr Mattei is using testimony as a sword, not a shield “and we’re entitled to swordsmanship as well”.

Judge Bellis agrees with Mr Pattis that globalists should not be asked about specifically.

The jury is brought back in.

Thursday 22 September 2022 16:37 , Oliver O'Connell

Mr Mattei asks Jones how much money Free Speech Systems has made since the trial started . Jones says he has not kept track of things.

“You haven’t been getting daily text messages with sales numbers? Mind checking your phone at the break?” asks Mr Mattei.

He continues to press Jones on Infowars’ sales, and he claims he just doesn’t really look at the figures.

He contends that he is not allowed under the judge’s orders to talk about his company.

Mr Mattei says that is not true.

Judge Bellis dismisses the jury again.

Thursday 22 September 2022 16:43 , Oliver O'Connell

Jones says the bankruptcy people are in control of his company’s sales. Judge Bellis agrees with him.

When the jury is brought back in Mr Mattei changes tack and asks: “Do you agree with me that your reputation is very important to you?”

Jones does not agree that his reputation is very important to him and answers: “I care about freedom.”

Jones eventually answers yes, that he does not want to be lied about, nor his family or loved ones.

He adds: “The world isn’t an easy place. When people become political figures they get into the arena.”

Mr Mattei asks if Jones is suggesting that the plaintiffs “deserved what they got because they stepped into the arena.”

Jones says no, he wasn’t saying that.

Mr Mattei notes that Jones has sued for defamation himself, taking action against the left-wing progressive group and commentary show The Young Turks.

Thursday 22 September 2022 16:57 , Oliver O'Connell

Court breaks for a recess.

Thursday 22 September 2022 17:25 , Oliver O'Connell

The jury is brought back in and questioning resumes around the allegation levelled at Jones regarding images of child exploitation that turned up in discovery.

Mr Mattei says that the more the lie about Jones and the images is spread, the more damage is done to Jones’s reputation.

Jones says that is fair.

Mr Mattei asks about “unhinged” people coming after him.

Jones says he did not name the Sandy Hook plaintiffs — which was not asked of him. The difference he appears to try and make with this case is that The Young Turks specifically named him.

There are more questions about Jones’s security detail (in the room) and his use of chartered private jets, which is rephrased to aircraft after a back-and-forth that included Cessnas, sea planes, and hot air balloons.

Thursday 22 September 2022 17:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Despite all the interruptions and sidebars, Mr Mattei appears to be back on track and is directly comparing the tweet and video posted by The Young Turks which led Jones to sue them for defamation with the defamation case against him brought by the Sandy Hook families.

Thursday 22 September 2022 17:39 , Oliver O'Connell

Looking at the tweet by The Young Turks it is noted that it got just 20 retweets.

Mr Mattei refers back to the testimony of Mr Watts earlier in the trial who calculated that 550 million people at a minimum were exposed to Jones’s lies about the Sandy Hook families.

Jones calls the figure “preposterous”.

Mr Pattis objects.

Mattei asks: “If someone were to say that a group of families falsely accused of lying about loved ones dying that would be a horrible accusation, would it not?”

Jones says it could be.

He is asked if it’s reasonable to assume that the Sandy Hook families would be damaged by being called actors over the years. Jones says he can’t answer the question truthfully without violating the court’s orders.

The jury is sent out again.

Thursday 22 September 2022 18:04 , Oliver O'Connell

This is a discussion about the definition of a Potemkin village — a physical setup to promote a falsehood —‚ and whether Jones recalls mocking parents by saying they were laughing and fake crying and whether there was a wider conspiracy around Sandy Hook.

Video of a deposition is shown in which Jones says on record that Sandy Hook was a Potemkin village and a close group consisting of all the parents was in on the hoax.

The court breaks for lunch until 2pm.

Jury returns from lunch break

Thursday 22 September 2022 19:06 , Graeme Massie

Alex Jones is back on the stand as the case continues in Connecticut.

Jones refuses to answer if members of his audience have ‘committed violence’

Thursday 22 September 2022 19:18 , Graeme Massie

“I can’t answer that,” he told the court.

Jury sent out of courtroom

Thursday 22 September 2022 19:38 , Graeme Massie

Prosecution wants to play a video about a 9/11 truther that it will submit as evidence without the jury in the courtroom.

Jury is back in the courtroom

Thursday 22 September 2022 19:43 , Graeme Massie

And the case continues.

Lawyer for Jones says he expected more outbursts

Thursday 22 September 2022 20:02 , Graeme Massie

Norm Pattis made the admission to Judge Barbara Bellis as she ordered a sidebar after sending out the jury.

Mr Pattis could be heard telling the judge that Jones had been “mostly responsive” in his testimony and that his client “is fatigued.”

Court takes afternoon break

Thursday 22 September 2022 20:17 , Graeme Massie

Case will resume following break

Court is back in session

Thursday 22 September 2022 20:34 , Graeme Massie

Mr Mattei says he has 20 minutes left with Jones on the stand and court will end for that after his direct examination.

Judge warns Alex Jones

Thursday 22 September 2022 21:46 , Graeme Massie

After the jury was sent home for the day, Judge Barbara Bellis said that moving forward she will have a zero-tolerance policy in her courtroom.

The judge warned Jones and his lawyer that they either obey the rules about politics and curb his outbursts, or they would face a contempt hearing.

Watch: Jones talks about importance of ‘crushing globalists'

Thursday 22 September 2022 22:31 , Graeme Massie

Friday 23 September 2022 00:05 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: There is a back-and-forth regarding the presence of child exploitation material in discovery documents.

Here’s an explanation from Vice’s Anna Merlan and how this played out in court.

The FBI found that there was no evidence that the material had anything to do with anyone at Infowars.

The plaintiffs’ attorneys seem to be comparing the outrage Jones felt at being falsely accused of spreading child exploitation material with how the Sandy Hook families felt about the false things he said about them.

Alex Jones shamelessly asks for Infowars cryptocurrency donations during Sandy Hook trial testimony

Friday 23 September 2022 00:34 , Graeme Massie

‘We’re fighting the deep state, we need money,’ Jones says on the stand.

Alex Jones asks for Infowars cryptocurrency donations during Sandy Hook testimony

Friday 23 September 2022 01:05 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: There was a testy moment in court as all the parties try to figure out how to have Jones answer questions in a way that does not take him into areas in which he is forbidden from speaking about by the court.

Alex Jones’ lawyer tells Sandy Hook judge he ‘expected more outbursts’ from Infowars host after sarcastic quip

Friday 23 September 2022 01:32 , Graeme Massie

Judge has threatened to hold Infowars host in contempt of court over unruly behaviour.

Alex Jones’ lawyer tells Sandy Hook judge he ‘expected more outbursts’ from client

Watch: Judge rebukes Jones for speaking out of turn

Friday 23 September 2022 02:06 , Graeme Massie

Alex Jones kicks off combative trial testimony over Sandy Hook lies

Friday 23 September 2022 03:08 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: Alex Jones kicked off his combative testimony in his defamation case over his lies about the Sandy Hook massacre by pushing another wild conspiracy – this time about the so-called “deep state”.

The far-right conspiracy theorist took the stand on Thursday in his second defamation trial, where jurors will decide how much he must pay in damages to victims’ families over the lies he spread that the 2012 mass shooting was a “hoax” and the 26 victims murdered were “actors”.

Rachel Sharp is watching proceedings for The Independent.

Alex Jones kicks off Sandy Hook trial testimony by pushing ‘deep state’ conspiracy

Jones questioned over Dan Bidondi harassing Newtown officials

Friday 23 September 2022 04:09 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: Dan Bidondi has been accused of harassing the families of Sandy Hook victims and officials, as well as those of the Boston Marathon bombing in segments for Infowars.

Chris Mattei told the court that after Jones was sued by the families in 2018, he immediately asked his business manager when the last time Infowars had paid him.

Jones denied knowing any specifics on that, telling the jury: “It all just bleeds together, this is years ago, I don’t remember.”

The court was then shown a video of Bidondi allegedly harassing Newtown officials, and asking them, “You guys trying to cover up Sandy Hook?”

Mr Mattei asked Jones why he had given him the nickname “the kraken”, which Jones denied knowing anything about.

Jones then said he did not remember if Infowars had live streamed the video of Bidondi.

“I don’t remember what happened two weeks ago on my show,” Jones said. “There’s a lot of on-air stuff.”

Jones agrees he called Sandy Hook ‘fake’. ‘synthetic’ and a ‘total hoax'

Friday 23 September 2022 05:01 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: Jones agreed with the lawyer for the families, Chris Mattei, that he had used the descriptions for the massacre

“There’s been a point in time where I believed it was probably a hoax,” Jones said before that remark was struck by the judge.

Jones tells court he believes in a ‘9/11 cover-up'

Friday 23 September 2022 06:30 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: The court was told that Matthew Mills broke into a Super Bowl press conference to shout about 9/11 conspiracy theories, and was interviewed about it in February 2014 on Infowars.

“Yeah I believe there was a cover-up over 9/11,” said Jones. “I thought it was good civil action.”

Mr Mattei asked if Jones knew that Mills had interrupted the Vicky Soto 5K event.

“No, I didn’t know about that,” said Jones.

“But that’s the sort of thing you love?” asked Mr Mattei.

Mr Mattei asked Jones if the “Jones Army has been active” during the trial. “That Army has been coming over the top right here in Waterbury this week.”

“I don’t know of what you speak,” said Jones.

Jones was asked if he had commended people on air earlier this week for vandalising property around the courthouse with Infowars stickers.

“No,” replied Jones.

And he then added: “I do want to commend people as the First Amendment is under attack, I want to commend them now.”

Jones then reacted angrily after being asked if he thought he was in a “puppet court” as he said on his Infowars show.

“It’s not mostly peaceful protest when they burn down $2bn dollars of buildings, but when conservatives put up stickers its bad,” Jones said after the video.

“I know we all need to go to prison.”

The judge immediately sent out the jury and had a sidebar with the lawyers where they appeared to discuss his behaviour.

Jones asks for crypto donations during trial and says audience gave him $9m

Friday 23 September 2022 07:53 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: Jones even took time to give the web address for donating cryptocurrency to Infowars and was asked by Mr Mattei if his audience knew that the donations went directly into his personal account.

“And then directly into the company account, that’s how crypto works,” said Jones.

Jones was asked if he had been given $8m in crypto donations, and responded that it “was actually $9m.”

Jones said he had only left $60,000 of the donations in his wallet and that he had given it all to his company.

“I was trying to shore it up (Free Speech Systems),” he said.

Jones was asked if he had got any of that money personally.

“Technically it went into my bank account and it then went into Free Speech Systems,” he said.

Jones told the court that the cost of the silver “1776” collectible coin he sells to his audience is $35, but that he charges a full price to them of $130.

But Jones added that it was currently on sale for $99, and insisted that he was honest with his audience about the costs.

“Conservatives are smart. They know all about silver and gold,” he told the court.

When asked about the mark-up he makes on other products, he added: “My audience is smart, they work for a living.”

Jones to resume testimony with cross-examination

Friday 23 September 2022 13:29 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: Alex Jones is set to resume his testimony at 10am on Friday after finishing the previous day’s proceedings on a tumultuous note.

He will now be cross-examined by his own lawyer, Norm Pattis, who on Thursday admitted to the judge that he’d expected more outbursts from the conspiracy theorist after he sarcastically answered a question from the plaintiffs’ team.

“Overall responsive and my client is fatigued,” is how Mr Pattis described Jones’ when asked to explain his unruly behaviour.

Mr Pattis could also be heard saying that he was surprised Jones had not lost his cool more often as he testified.

The Independent’s Graeme Massie has more:

Alex Jones’ lawyer tells Sandy Hook judge he ‘expected more outbursts’ from client

Plaintiffs ask for adjournment

Friday 23 September 2022 16:47 , Megan Sheets

As the court was called back into session, plaintiffs’ attorney Christopher Mattei asked for an adjournment based on the defence’s sudden move not to question Mr Jones this morning and the defendant’s remarks at his press conference moments earlier.

Mr Mattei pointed out that Mr Jones had called on jurors to do their own research on the case - which is against basic orders of the court.

When questioned by Judge Barbara Bellis if anyone on the jury could have heard Mr Jones’ remarks, the court clerk confirmed that four jurors were outside at the time.

Defence attorney Norm Pattis said he was “mortified” by some of the remarks in the press conference but that he “paid no particular attention” to it.

Judge Bellis ultimately said she would reiterate to the jury that they are not to do any outside research on the case.

Court back in session

Friday 23 September 2022 17:35 , Graeme Massie

Lawyers for families have submitted evidence of Jones’ earlier press conference that took place outside of court house.

Court adjourned until Tuesday

Friday 23 September 2022 18:08 , Graeme Massie

Court will go dark for several days until the trial resumes next week.

Jones screams he is ‘done apologising’ as families of victims watch on

Friday 23 September 2022 21:01 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: Alex Jones screamed that he was “done apologising” for his Sandy Hook hoax claims as the families of victims watched on in the courtroom.

Jones lost his temper with a lawyer for the families, Chris Mattei, after he was told he had put a “target on the back” of Robbie Parker, the father of victim Emilie Parker.

“No, I didn’t,” replied Jones as he grew angry.

Mr Mattei then told Jones that “these are real people”.

“Just like all the Iraqis that you liberals killed and love. You are unbelievable. You switch emotions on and off as you want, it is just ambulance chasing,” said Jones.

Mr Mattei asked Jones: “Why don’t you show a bit of respect? You have families in the court that lost children, sisters, wives, moms.”

“Is this a struggle session, are we in China? I have already said sorry hundreds of times and I am done saying I am sorry. I didn’t generate this, I was not the first person to say it,” Jones replied.

“I have already apologised to the parents over and over again, I am not apologising to you. I do not apologise to you.”

Jones was told by the judge that he was not on “your show” and that he needed “to respect the process.”

Jones was then asked if there was going to be a mass shooting

“Are you saying I am going to shoot someone, how do I know? Like it’s my fault, like I killed the kids...There probably will be.”

Alex Jones shouts ‘I’m done apologising’ at Sandy Hook parents crying in court

Friday 23 September 2022 22:04 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: Far-right conspiracy theorist – who has spent much of the trial mocking the proceedings on his Infowars show – moaned that ‘people think that I killed the kids.’

Rachel Sharp has the story.

Alex Jones shouts ‘I’m done apologising’ at Sandy Hook parents crying in court

Latest development in Jones’ bankruptcy case

Friday 23 September 2022 23:04 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: Alex Jones suffered a substantial blow in bankruptcy court earlier this week as a judge blocked an attorney and a restructuring executive from overseeing the case due to “lack of transparency” on financial information, including about the conspiracy theorist’s extravagant spending habits.

US Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez in Houston ordered new personnel to replace Marc Schwartz, chief restructuring officer of Infowars parent company Free Speech Systems LLC, and attorney Kyung Lee in the case on Tuesday, citing conflict of interest.

Read more:

Alex Jones suffers blow in Infowars bankruptcy case amid Sandy Hook trial

WATCH: Jones rages at Sandy Hook lawyer

Saturday 24 September 2022 00:10 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: As Jones defence team decided to keep him off the stand until next week, watch the contentious final minutes of Thursday’s testimony:

Jones will not face cross-examination

Saturday 24 September 2022 01:02 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: As the eighth day of the trial opened, Alex Jones’ attorney announced that he will not cross-examine his client at this time.

Attorney Norm Pattis waived his right to cross-examine, saying he hopes to “lower the temperature” in court and “streamline” the proceedings.

Jones will, however, take the stand at a later point in the trial as a witness for the defence, Mr Pattis said.

Judge Barbara Bellis granted the request and called a recess until 11.30am.

At that point, lawyers for the plaintiffs will resume testimony with other witnesses.

Jones rants outside court

Saturday 24 September 2022 02:07 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: While Alex Jones was not in the room when his lawyer waived the right to cross-examination, the Infowars host did make an appearance outside the Waterbury, Connecticut, courthouse on Friday morning.

As he has twice already this week, Jones ranted about the basics of the case, saying he was found guilty by default despite there being “no evidence” he defamed the plaintiffs.

“That’s why I call this a show trial. It’s a trial for damages, not a trial where I’m able to put up evidence. That’s not the American way,” he fumed.

“There’s a saying: ‘It’s better that 10 guilty men go to prison than one innocent man go to jail.’ And I’m not perfect, I’ve made mistakes and I’ve apologised many times.

“But imagine the precedent-setting case, where they’re weaponising the judiciary and giving people defaults - after they comply with excruciating discovery - so that you can’t defend yourself, and then use the very evidence you gave them against you, but then you can’t even talk about that evidence.”

“This is basically as rigged as you can get.”

Jones claims there was ‘no need’ for him to be cross-examined

Saturday 24 September 2022 03:01 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: Speaking to reporters on Friday morning, Mr Jones asserted that his defence chose not to cross-examine him because there was “no need”.

In his view, Thursday’s testimony outburst did more damage to the plaintiffs’ than himself.

“Chris Mattei completely destroyed himself with a bunch of twisted information and lies,” he said of plaintiffs’ attorney Christopher Mattei, whose questioning sparked the outburst.

“I was barred from defending myself, so I just had to sit there while he lied and lied and lied. Then he had this big Perry Mason moment where he blew up and started screaming at me.”

Mr Jones said the judge “couldn’t sanction me because she wasn’t willing to sanction him” and claimed his lawyer told him afterward: “If you would’ve done what Chris Mattei did, you would’ve  been in jail guaranteed.”

He added: “Chris Mattei already has the trial rigged, he already has it where I can’t put on evidence, and then he screams at me for five minutes, and all I do is respond and say: ‘You’re an ambulance chaser, you’re a despicable person’ right back to him while he pretends that I’m the devil.”

Jones claims his furious rant ‘destroyed’ plaintiffs' lawyer

Saturday 24 September 2022 04:12 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: The Independent’s Megan Sheets breaks down Alex Jones’ dubious assertion that his rant on the witness stand was more damaging to his opposition than to his own case:

Alex Jones claims his furious Sandy Hook trial rant ‘destroyed’ opposing legal team

WATCH: Jones says Mattei ‘crapped the bed'

Saturday 24 September 2022 05:08 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: At one point in his lengthy attack on plaintiffs’ attorney Christopher Mattei, Alex Jones claimed the lawyer’s own father “screamed” at him over his conduct.

Watch below via Law & Crime’s Cathy Russon:

Jurors dismissed for the weekend

Saturday 24 September 2022 06:10 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: The jury has finally been called into the courtroom, nearly two hours later than originally scheduled due to this morning’s developments.

Judge Barbara Bellis has yet to rule on what action to take in regards to the plaintiffs’ claim that Mr Jones’ press conference may have tainted the jurors.

She explained to the jury that Mr Jones would not be cross-examined today and would instead testify again later for the defence.

The judge then repeated her instruction not to do any independent research, regardless of what anyone may tell them.

The jury has now been dismissed for the weekend, after the plaintiffs’ said they were not prepared to bring any more witnesses today.

Both sides will reconvene in front of the judge to discuss jury issues at 12.30pm ET.

Sandy Hook trial live feed cuts off after Infowars host defends rant

Saturday 24 September 2022 08:01 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: The judge and lawyers had just returned to court to discuss what, if anything, should be done about the press conference Jones gave at the Connecticut courthouse on Friday.

Judge asks Jones’ lawyer to prevent him asking jurors to do own research

Saturday 24 September 2022 10:03 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: Judge Barbara Bellis told Norm Pattis to try and work on his client, and Mr Pattis said that out of respect for the court he would try to do that.

Mr Pattis told the court that Jones gave the impromptu press conference because he cannot get a fair hearing in the media, according to The New York Times.

Alex Jones expected to testify again next week

Saturday 24 September 2022 13:01 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: Court is now adjourned until Tuesday, with Jones expected to testify in his defence on Wednesday.

The judge decided against sanctioning Jones for his courthouse press conference, instead asking his lawyer to tell his client the importance of not giving the jury instructions.

Chris Mattei, one of the lawyers for the families, who questioned Jones on Thursday had told the court that comments made in the press conference posed a security risk for his law firm.

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